Visual Devices in Contemporary Prose Fiction This page intentionally left blank Visual Devices in Contemporary Prose Fiction Gaps, Gestures, Images Simon Barton School of Arts and Media, University of Salford, UK © Simon Barton 2016 All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of this publication may be made without written permission. No portion of this publication may be reproduced, copied or transmitted save with written permission or in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, or under the terms of any licence permitting limited copying issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency, Saffron House, 6–10 Kirby Street, London EC1N 8TS. Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages. The author has asserted his right to be identified as the author of this work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. First published 2016 by PALGRAVE MACMILLAN Palgrave Macmillan in the UK is an imprint of Macmillan Publishers Limited, registered in England, company number 785998, of Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS. Palgrave Macmillan in the US is a division of St Martin’s Press LLC, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010. Palgrave Macmillan is the global academic imprint of the above companies and has companies and representatives throughout the world. Palgrave® and Macmillan® are registered trademarks in the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe and other countries. ISBN 978-1-349-58025-5 ISBN 978-1-137-46736-2 (eBook) DOI 10.1057/9781137467362 This book is printed on paper suitable for recycling and made from fully managed and sustained forest sources. Logging, pulping and manufacturing processes are expected to conform to the environmental regulations of the country of origin. A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress. Typeset by MPS Limited, Chennai, India. For Toby and Hannah This page intentionally left blank Contents List of Figures viii Acknowledgements ix 1 An Introduction to Visual Devices in Contemporary Prose Fiction 1 2 Reading Textual Gaps 27 3 Textual Gestures: Iconic Text and Narrative 68 4 Graphic Storytelling and Visual Narrative: Images in Prose Fiction 92 5 Case Study 1: Raymond Federman’s Double or Nothing: A Real Fictitious Discourse (1992) 123 6 Case Study 2: William H. Gass’s Willie Masters’ Lonesome Wife (1968) 153 7 Conclusions 172 Bibliography 179 Index 194 vii List of Figures 2.1 B. S. Johnson (2004 [originally 1971]), House Mother Normal in B. S. Johnson Omnibus, p. 176 35 5.1 Raymond Federman, (1992), Double or Nothing: A Real Fictitious Discourse, p. 1 132 5.2 Raymond Federman, (1992), Double or Nothing: A Real Fictitious Discourse, p. 195 148 viii Acknowledgements This book is the product of research over a considerable period of time and it would have never come to fruition without the help, advice and support from a number of groups and individuals who I must take the time to thank here. Dr Glyn White, whose continual advice, influence, support, k nowledge and friendship has steered this research to its current destination. This would have been a lesser work without his dogged eye for detail and precision. My infinite gratitude and love must be extended to Hannah, my wife, and now mother to our child, Toby. Her patience, understanding and willingness to provide financial support to this project that is still some- what of a mystery to her knows no bounds and continues to inspire me. Thanks to Jean Wareing, my grandmother, and to Barbara and Kevan, my parents for their unending support and encouragement that has ultimately led to this publication. Special thanks must also go to Derek Wareing, my late grandfather, whose prophetic comment, ‘You’re going to be a scholar’, acted as a driving force that has borne fruit, many years later, with the publication of this book. This work would have halted years ago without the support and companionship of my friends who provided a release valve at the most stressful of times. I have more of these than I can list here but here are few notable persons who have been at my side throughout: Adam, Laura, Stuart, Keirina, Martin, Helen, Michael, Susie, Matt, Michelle, Ben, Whitney and Alex. To Toby, whose recent appearance made all this worthwhile and who inspires and surprises me each new day. ix